Turki Alalshikh Wants Benavidez To Fight Beterbiev Vs. Bivol Winner In December. Canelo Out?
His Excellency, Turki Alalshikh has set his sights on a December super fight in the light heavyweight division! "Putting a fight together between Benavidez and the Beterbiev vs. Bivol victor is more realistic than attempting to negotiate a clash involving Canelo Alvarez and the ‘Mexican Monster’," declared Turki Alalshikh. The proposed December showdown would feature David Benavidez (28-0, 24 KOs) facing the winner of the highly anticipated June 1st undisputed light heavyweight championship unification bout between Artur Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KOs) and Dmitry Bivol (22-0, 11 KOs). However, Alalshikh's ambitious plan faces several hurdles. First, Beterbiev and Bivol might have a rematch clause in their upcoming fight contract. Second, Benavidez must win his own WBC eliminator bout against Oleksandr Gvozyk (36-1, 33 KOs) scheduled before December. Gvozyk, a former champion, presents a significant challenge for Benavidez, who has yet to face a puncher of his caliber in his professional career. Assuming Benavidez emerges victorious, stylistically, he might have a better chance against the more technical Bivol compared to the aggressive Beterbiev. Benavidez reportedly had success against Bivol in sparring years ago, but a real fight with lighter gloves and no headgear is a different story altogether. Beyond the challenges in the ring, Alalshikh is likely prioritizing Benavidez over Canelo Alvarez due to financial reasons. Canelo's reported asking price of $150-200 million is significantly higher than what they're willing to spend, especially after Gervonta Davis's extravagant demands for a fight against Devin Haney. #Boxing #CaneloAlvarez #DavidBenavidez #ArturBeterbiev #SaudiArabia #DmitryBivol #RiyadhSeason
